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Finance

Sustainability and financial performance of acute hospital trusts. This Commons Public Accounts Committee report finds that the financial performance of NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts has deteriorated sharply and this trend is not sustainable. In its investigation of the acute hospital sector, the report argues that the government has not acted quickly enough to keep acute hospital trusts in financial balance and that there is not a feasible plan in place yet for closing the funding gap. The other aspects of the acute sector's management that is highlighted as damaging were: government efficiency targets; data used to estimate potential cost savings to trusts; attempts to control agency spending; and the lack of incentive for joined-up health services.

Support for NHS providers to improve finances. NHS providers will have help with improving their finances, Monitor has announced. Among the help providers will receive is 'on site' improvement expertise from early April 2016, designed to strengthen the way they identify, plan and undertake financial improvement.

Guidance on the local procurement of external auditors for NHS trusts and CCGs. Under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, NHS trusts and CCGs must select and appoint their own auditors and directly manage their contracts for the audits for the financial year starting on 1 April 2017. This guidance is to assist NHS trusts and CCGs with their initial audit appointments. It sets out the legal requirements, National Audit Office’s code of audit practice and auditor’s eligibility, a core specification for audit services, and advice on options for procurement and use of frameworks.